The invention relates to floatation devices for aquatic rescue more particularly to a hand thrown life saving device.
In 1998 the World Health Organization reported 119,000 drownings worldwide with approximately 5,000 of those occurring in the United States alone according to the American Red Cross. Data collected by the International Lifesaving Association indicates that most of these drownings occurred within 60 seconds and according to the statistics of the National Safety Council there has been no significant decline in the fatality rate for drowning victims over the past two decades.
The American Red Cross advises that the untrained and inexperienced would-be rescuer follow the rule xe2x80x9cReach, Throw, Don""t Goxe2x80x9d. The rule recommends that if the drowning victim cannot be reached, or if a flotation aid or retrieval device cannot be thrown to the drowning victim that the rescuer should not attempt an open water rescue. For these types of non-professional rescue attempts the rescuer must be able to provide an additional means of buoyancy and establish stability to the victim to be able to effect recovery without placing themselves in jeopardy. In circumstances where the victim cannot be physically reached by the rescuer it is recommended that a device be deployed to the victim. Several devices have been developed that can be tossed or thrown to the victim to facilitate rescue. Desirable features of a water rescue device which may prove critical under certain circumstances include the following: sufficient buoyancy, sufficient reach upon deployment and redeployment, compact and easy to use, does not dive during rescue retrieval, constructed of materials hat are not likely to cause injury to the victim and may be easily gripped by the victim and rescuer, constructed of materials that can withstand rough handling and impact without loosing functionality. None of the currently available rescue devices incorporate or are able to incorporate all of the aforementioned features.
Commercially available devices include the line throw bag, the standard life ring or seat cushion/floatation device and the flying disk. The line throw bag is designed to provide an immediate link with the victim in the form of a rope or line that can be retracted to effect retrieval and rescue. Unfortunately while the device meets some of the desired features for a life saving device it has poor buoyancy and is difficult to redeploy if the first attempt at reaching the victim fails. In addition the device may also cause injury if it hits the victim during rescue.
Likewise the standard life ring and seat cushion/floatation devices meet many of the desirable features for a life saving device, however they fail in other critical aspects. The devices have substantially less reach than flying disk rescue devices. Often these devices do not have a retrieval line that enables a rescuer to retrieve and redeploy the device if the victim is not reached or is missed on the first throw or toss. Although some standard life rings include an attached retrieval line, the life ring may have the tendency to dive during retrieval, which jeopardizes the safety of the victim and slows retrieval time.
Flying rescue disks with retrieval line retention and deployment features on or about the outside perimeter of the disk like those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,562,512 and 5,895,299 also meet some of the desirable features of a life saving device, however, they suffer from lack of aerodynamic efficiency due to the interference caused by the location of the line retention and deployment features in aerodynamic areas critical for performance. The disks are often made of hard rigid materials to retain the line and to add mass and rigidity to overcome reach limitations due to poor aerodynamics. In addition, their buoyancy is generally poor and their potential for injuring the victim is high because of their hard body construction. Some flying rescue disks incorporate a hollow flotation compartment defined by a hard plastic encapsulation to increase buoyancy, unfortunately they can be damaged by rough handling or impact, which may allow water to flood the compartment or otherwise decrease the disk""s functionality. In addition, the retrieval lines of these devices are affixed to their leading edge and consequently during rescue the devices have a tendency to dive under water upon retrieval jeopardizing the safety of the victim and extending retrieval time. Also, for a more effectively redeployment of these devices, the retrieval line should be partially rewound around the outer perimeter to allow for free. rotation of the disk, which may further delay rescue time.
Consequently, there is a need in the industry for a life saving device that is compact and easy to use, may be quickly deployed at distances of approximately 100 feet, may be quickly retrieved and redeployed, is sufficiently buoyant to stabilize the drowning victim and constructed of a gripable material that is not likely to cause injury and can withstand rough handling and impact without loosing functionality. A further desirable characteristic is the resistance of the device to dive during retrieval.
In accordance with the present invention a novel life-saving device is provided. In one embodiment, the life-saving device comprises a buoyant disk having a top side, a bottom side, a leading edge and a cavity on the bottom side along and adjacent to the leading edge, the cavity having an inner side generally parallel to the leading edge, the inner side having an upper edge and a lower edge and a length of line affixed through and about the center of the buoyant disk generally parallel to the leading edge and disposed around the inner side of the cavity.
In another embodiment, the life-saving device comprises a buoyant disk having a top side, a bottom side, a leading edge and a cavity on the bottom side along and adjacent to the leading edge, the cavity having an inner side distant from the center of the buoyant disk and an outer side more distant from the center of the buoyant disk than the inner side and a base plate having an upper surface, a lower surface and a diameter less than that of the buoyant disk and overlapping the cavity, the upper surface comprising a hollow tube portion projecting perpendicular from the center of the upper surface, the hollow tube portion affixed through the center of the buoyant disk having a diameter able to accept a line and of a length generally equal to the thickness of the buoyant disk.
In yet another embodiment, the life-saving device comprises a buoyant disk having a top side, a bottom side, a leading edge and a cavity disposed on the bottom side along and generally adjacent to the leading edge of the buoyant disk having an inner side distant from the center of the buoyant disk and an outer side more distant from the center of the buoyant disk than the inner side, the cavity able to accept a length of line disposed around the inner side of the cavity; a base plate having an upper surface, a lower surface and a diameter less than that of the buoyant disk and overlapping the cavity, the upper surface affixed to the bottom side of the buoyant disk; and a hollow tube affixed through the center of the buoyant disk and the base plate having a diameter able to accept a line and of a length generally equal to the combined thickness of the buoyant disk and the base plate.
In one aspect of the present invention the buoyant disk is made of a semi-rigid flexible material having a generally aerodynamic profile such that lift is generated during flight and that may be domed on the top side, the bottom side or on both the top side and the bottom side.
In other aspects of the present invention the buoyant disk may further comprise a flange on the lower edge of the inner side of the cavity extending generally perpendicular from the inner side toward the leading edge of the buoyant disk, a reflective surface on the top side or the bottom side and/or a leading edge having a different density than the remainder of the buoyant disk.
In still other aspects of the invention the life-saving device may further comprise; a length of line affixed to the buoyant disk such that when in use a domed side of the buoyant disk is in contact with the surface of the water to prevent the device from diving; a hollow tube be affixed through and about the center of the buoyant disk generally parallel to the leading edge and having a diameter able to accept a line and of a length generally equal to the thickness of the buoyant disk; a length of line, one end of which is generally affixed through or within the hollow tube; a base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface affixed to the bottom side of the buoyant disk, the base plate having a diameter less than the buoyant disk and overlapping the cavity; a reflective surface on the lower surface of the base plate; a balance ring that may be affixed to embedded in or implanted within the bottom side of the buoyant disk generally adjacent to the leading edge; and/or an audible signaling device embedded within the buoyant disk.